Railroad-track-laying apparatus.



No. 739,875. PATENTBD SEPT. 29, 1903; J. M. c. HOWELL.

RAILROAD TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

- APPLICATION FILED IIAY 22, 1902 no no nL.

Jill 1 F 5 5- I'ILIEITEI 1 %w% w Maw Ma,

UNITED STATES Iatented September 29, 1903.

PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN M. O. HOWELL, OF MASOOT, TENNESSEE.

RAILROAD-TRACK-LAYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 9. 739,875, datedSeptember 29, 1903.

- Application filed May 22,1902. Serial No. 108,470. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known thatI, JOHN M. C. HOWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mascot, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Track-LayingApparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference beingbad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to railroad-track-laying apparatus, andparticularly to an improved apparatus for removing and replacing ties onrailroad trestles and bridges.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and convenientmechanism by the use of which worn-out ties on railroad trestles andbridges may be removed and replaced without the removal of thetrack-rails and without the consequent interruption of the use of thetrack for the passage of trains,

My present improvement may be regarded as an addition to or modificationof the improvement set forth by my application, Serial No. 96,375, filedin the United States Patent Office March 3, 1902.

By the use of my improvedpapparatus the track remains continuous and theoperation may be suspended at anytime for the passage of a train. One ofthe guard-rails is removed and the tie which is to be removed isreleased by the withdrawal of its spikes and the slight raising of theadjacent ties, (with of course the track and guard rails.) v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan showing a portion of atrestle or bridge structure with my improved device applied preparatoryto the removal of a tie. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 and illustrates a modification ofthe form shown by Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on theline 4 4. of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate another modification, Fig.5 being a section similar to Figs. 2 andi3, and Fig. 6 being a plan ofthe form shown by Fig. 5.

Referring to said drawings, A is one of the longitudinal sills orgirders of a railway trestle or bridge.

B B are the ties resting transversely upon the sills. Said ties arepreferably provided with notches B in their under faces, into which thesill extends.

O is a track-rail.

O O are the spikes by means of which the rail C is secured to the ties.

My improvement is essentially a tie-supporting structure adapted to beapplied temporarily to a bridge or trestle to receive a defective tiewhen the latter is withdrawn from beneath the track-rails and to receiveand support a new tie preparatory to drawing the latter horizontallyinto position beneath the track-rails to serve as a substitute for thedefective tie just removed.

My improvement may be defined in a general way as consisting,functionally, of two parts, the first being means or mechanism forsecuring the structure in position .and the second being the surfaceupon which the tie is moved lengthwise for removal and replacing. YStructurally the improved device consists of a horizontal framebifurcated at one end, the arms of the bifurcation being suitably shapedor provided with means for securing the structure in position foruse.

D D are side bars. These are arranged parallel to each'other and joinedin any suitable manner, as by means of cross-bars D. For the purpose offacilitating the movement of the tie upon the structure rollers D may beplaced transversely between said side bars. Said cross-bars'and rollersare placed into-that portion of the structurewhich is to extend outwardaway from the trestle or bridge, and the upper surface of said portionof the structure is preferably substantially at or a littleabove thelevel of the lower face of the tie to be removed when the device is inposition. Usually allowance must be made for raising the defective tiesufficiently to clear the sill A. From the point where said cross-barsand rollersv cease said'side bars D D constitute the arms of thebifurcation of the structure. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said bars risesufficiently to extend over and rest upon the upper surface of theadjacent sill A. Thence said arms rise to the level of the lower face ofthe track-rail 0. As shown in said Figs. 1 and 2, said side bars areflat pieces of metal having the outer portion and the portion extendingover the sill standing in a vertical plane and being then twisted so asto bring the remainder into a horizontal plane, so that the portionpassing beneath the track-rail bears fiatwise against the bottom of saidrail. The end of said bar passes said rail and is then bent upward andover the foot of the rail to form a hook B Upon the upper face of eachside bar at the side of the track-rail opposite said hook alatch E orbutton is pivoted in any suitable manner, as by means of a vertical boltE. Both ends of said but-ton are raised sufliciently to clear the footof the rail, and one end is long enough to substantially meet the web ofthe rail at any point not covered by fish-plates. The other end of saidbutton is enough shorter to permit the space between the hook D and saidend when the latter is directed toward the rail to receive fish-plates,as well as the web of the rail. Said button and hook constitute a meansfor clamping the said arms to the rail.

-By means of the hook D and the latch or button E each of the side barsD is securely fastened to the track-rail. The attachment to thetrack-rail is one point of support and the bearing upon the sill A isanother point of support for the apparatus.

In putting the apparatus into position it is placed vertically with thebifurcated portion downward, one arm being at each side of the tie to beremovrd. iVhile the apparatus is in this position the lowermost crossbarD may rest upon said tie. The apparatus may then be allowed to tilt withsaid lower crossbar as a bearing, the upper end of the apparatus goingoutward and downward and the free ends of the side bars going upwarduntil they bear against the bottom of the trackrail. The apparatus isthen shifted horizontally outward until the hook D is in engagement withthe rail 0. The button or latch E is then turned into engagement.

For lowering and raising the apparatus guy-ropes F may be suitablyattached to the outer ends of the side bars D. Said ropes may also beused for preventinglateral movement of the outer end of the apparatus.

With the apparatus put into position as described the defective tie,detached from the sill and rails, as hereinbefore set forth, is drawnendwise from beneath the rails and over the sills outward over thetie-receiving portion of my apparatus, the tie being preferablysupported upon said rollers D until it assumes the position shown by thedotted lines in Figs. 1 and, 2. The relative proportion of the parts issuch as to bring the outermost roller D outward beyond the center of thetie when the latter is in the position indicated by the dotted lines, tothe end that the tie will not tilt on account of a preponderance ofweight projecting outward beyond the tie-supporting structure. The endof the tie adjacent to the track-rail is then lifted and the tie drawnup on the track and disposed of in any manner desired. The new tie isthen placed upon the track-rails directly above the position occupied bythe defective tie just withdrawn. It is then pushed wise over the sillsand beneath the trackrails to its final position. The apparatus is thenremoved by turning the button E so as to release the ends of the sidebars, when the apparatus is moved inward. By means of the guy-ropes theouter end of the apparatus is then raised and drawn inward until itstands in the vertical position upon the tie just inserted. From thisposition it is lifted by hand.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4c the outer support of theapparatus is not upon the sill A, but in the stirrups G. Said stirrupsmay be of any suitable form. In the drawings they are shown in the. formof the letter S, one portion extending over one of the ties adjoiningthe tie to be removed and the other portion receiving and supporting oneof the side bars D. Said stirrups may rest loosely upon the ties, orthey may be fastened in any suitable manner, as by means of screwboltsG, having handles G the screw-bolts extending through one of the arms ofthe stirrup and bearing against one side of the tie.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a modification of the mechanism for securingthe side bars to the track-rail. D is a lug or shoulder rising from theside bar D at one side of the trackrail. At the opposite side of thetrack-rail is a lug D having an aperture D parallel to said rail andjust above the level of the ties adjacent to the one which is to beremoved. A shaft or bar D extends horizontally through the apertures Dof the two side bars and projects sufficiently at each end to rest uponthe adjacent ties. Said bar or shaft serves to hold the side barsagainst the bottom of the track-rail, and when said bar is in positionsaid lugs or shoulders prevent endwise movement of said bars.

It will be observed that when my apparatus is in position for use theupper surface of the track-rail is left clear, so that trains may passwithout the removal of the apparatus.

It is obvious that the apparatus may be attached to either track-rail;but it will usually be preferable to so construct the apparatus as toadapt it for attachment to the track-rail adjacent to the side of thebridge or trestle from which the tie is to be withdrawn. In this formthe apparatus is shorter, and hence more easily handled. It is alsoobvious that the apparatus may be attached to or engaged by any railother than a track-rail extending longitudinallyover the trestle orbridge structure.

I claim as my invention-- 1. A railroad-track-laying apparatusconsisting of a frame orsnpport having a tie-receiving surface at oneend and having at the other end two parallel arms suitably spaced toextend at each side of a tie in a railroad trestle or bridge and eachhaving means for forming engagement with a rail extending longitudinallyover the trestle or bridge, substantially as described.

2. A railroad-track-laying apparatus consisting of a bifurcatedstructure having arms or side bars suitably shaped and separated toextend over and rest upon a railroad trestle or bridge sill at each sideof a tie and said structure having a tie-receiving surface lower thanthe portions of'said arms which are to rest on said sill, and said armsbeing suitably shaped for engagement with a rail extendinglongitudinally over the trestle or bridge, substantially as described.

3. A railroad-track-laying apparatus consisting of a bifurcated,tie-sustaining structure having arms or side bars suitably separated toextend at each side of a tie in arailroad trestle or bridge,andmechanism applied to said arms for clamping said arms to a railextending longitudinally over the trestle or bridge structure,substantially as described.

4. A railroad-track-laying apparatus consisting of a bifurcated,tie-sustaining structure having arms or side bars suitably separated toextend at each side of a tie in arailroad trestle or bridge,andmechanism applied to said arms, for clamping said arms to the foot of atrack-rail extending longitudinally over the trestle or bridgestructure, substantially as described.

5. A railroad-track-laying apparatus consisting of a bifurcated,tie-sustaining structure having a horizontal tie-receiving surface andhaving arms or side bars suitably separated to-extend at each side of atie in a raila rail extending longitudinally over the trestle or bridgestructure, substantially as de-' scribed.

6. A railroad-track-laying apparatus consisting of a bifurcatedstructure having a horizontal tie-receiving surface and having arms orside bars suitably separated to extend at each side of a tie inarailroad trestle or bridge, said arms rising above said tie-receivingsurface approximately the height of a tie, and having a fixed partadapted to rise at one side of arail extending longitudinally over thetrestle or bridge structure, and a shiftable part located adjacent tosaid fixed part, substantially as described.

7. A railroad-track-laying apparatus consisting of a bifurcatedstructure having a horizontal tie-receiving surface and having arms orside bars suitably separated to extend at each side of a tie in arailroad trestle or bridge, said arms rising above said tie-receivingsurface approximately the height of a tie, and having a fixed partadapted to rise at one side of a rail extending longitudinally over thetrestle or bridge structure, and a button located at the opposite sideof the space which is to be occupied by the rail, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name, in presence of twowitnesses, this 10th day of May, in the year 1902.

JOHN M. C. I-IOWVELL.

Witnesses:

EDWARD HACKER, CYRUS KEHR.

